Shotokan Kata

Kata is often described as a set sequence of karate moves organized into a pre-arranged fight against imaginary opponents. The kata consists of kicks, punches, sweeps, strikes and blocks. Body movement in various kata includes stepping, twisting, turning, dropping to the ground, and jumping. In Shotokan, kata is not a performance or a demonstration, but is for individual karateka to practice full techniques—with every technique potentially a killing blow (ikken hisatsu)—while paying particular attention to form and timing (rhythm). As the karateka grows older, more emphasis is placed on the health benefits of practicing kata, promoting fitness while keeping the body soft, supple, and agile. Several Shotokan groups have introduced kata from other styles into their training. The original Shotokan kata syllabus is introduced in Funakoshi's book Karate-do Kyohan, which is the Master Text of Shotokan karate. Dai Nihon Karate-do Shotokai is the official representative of Shotokan karate. Japan Shotokai's kata syllabus is the same as established in "Karate-do Kyohan" added Gigo Funakoshi's staff kata Matsukaze No Kon. When the JKA was formed, Nakayama laid down 27 kata as the kata syllabus for this organization. Even today, thousands of Shotokan dojo only practice 26 of these 27 kata.

Shotokan

Shotokan is a style of karate, developed from various martial arts by Gichin Funakoshi (1868–1957) and his son Gigo (Yoshitaka) Funakoshi (1906–1945). Gichin was born in Okinawa and is widely credited with popularizing karate through a series of public demonstrations, and by promoting the development of university karate clubs, including those at Keio, Waseda, Hitotsubashi (Shodai), Takushoku, Chuo, Gakushuin, and Hosei. Funakoshi had many students at the university clubs and outside dojos, who continued to teach karate after his death in 1957. However, internal disagreements (in particular the notion that competition is contrary to the essence of karate) led to the creation of different organizations—including an initial split between the Japan Karate Association (headed by Masatoshi Nakayama) and the Shotokai (headed by Motonobu Hironishi and Shigeru Egami), followed by many others—so that today there is no single "Shotokan school", although they all bear Funakoshi's influence. Being one of the first and biggest styles, Shotokan is considered a traditional and influential form of karate.

Malaysia Goshin-Ryu Karate Federation

The Malaysia Goshin-Ryu Karate Federation (MGKF), established in April 1974, is a member of the Malaysia Karate-Do Federation (MAKAF) and currently is one of the most successful karate-do federation in Malaysia. The current head of the MGKF is Grandmaster Soke Clement Soo, he is also the founder of the MGKF. Goshin-ryu style of Karate was founded by Soke Clement Soo in 1974. This style of Karate is quite similar to Shotokan style but emphasizes more on thrust and penetrating kicks, shorter forward stance and more side stepping movements. Although Goshin-ryu is consider a young style but since the inception it has spread to Australia, India, Kuwait, Switzerland and Germany. Our style is very simple, was adopt whatever techniques that are good and should the techniques require changes or modifications we shall do it. The Federation was officially accepted by Soke Terou Hayashi in 1976. Hayashi is a very known karateka in the world and was the first Referee Council Chairman of WUKO. He is aware of Goshin-ryu as a style of its own and never insists that Soke Clement Soo to change to Hayashi-ha Shito-ryu. Our students practice Shoto-kan, Hayashi-ha Shito-ryu and Goju-ryu Katas meaning that we must be able to adapt to the various different stances.

Hironori Ōtsuka

Hironori Ōtsuka, June 1, 1892 – January 29, 1982) was a Japanese master of karate who created the Wadō-ryū style of karate. He was the first Grand Master of Wadō-ryū karate, and received high awards within Japan for his contributions to karat. Ōtsuka was born on June 1, 1892, in Shimodate City, Ibaraki, Japan. He was one of four children to Tokujiro Ōtsuka, a medical doctor. At the age of 5 years, he began training in the martial art of jujutsu under his great-uncle, Chojiro Ebashi (a samurai). Ōtsuka's father took over his martial arts education in 1897.

At the age of 13, Ōtsuka became the student of Shinzaburo Nakayama in Shindō Yōshin-ryū jujutsu. In 1911, while studying business administration at Waseda University in Tokyo, Ōtsuka trained in various jujutsu schools in the area. Before his studies were complete, his father died and he was unable to continue studying; he commenced work as a clerk at the Kawasaki Bank. Although he wished to become a full-time instructor, he did not pursue this course at this point out of respect for his mother's wishes. On June 1, 1921, Ōtsuka received the menkyo kaiden (certificate of mastery and license to teach) in Shindō Yōshin-ryū jujutsu, and became the fourth master of that school. Jujutsu was not to become his primary art, however; in 1922,

Wado-Ryu

Wadō-ryū  is a karate style; three organizations now teach the Wadō-ryū style: the Japan Karate-dō Federation Wadōkai (abbreviated to Wadōkai; "Zen Nihon Karate-dō Renmei Wadokai" in Japan), the Wadōryū Karatedō Renmei, and the Wadō Kokusai Karatedō Renmei (abbreviated to Wadō Kokusai; also known as the Wadō International Karatedō Federation. The name Wadō-ryū has three parts: Wa, dō, and ryū. Wa means "harmony," dō means "way," and ryū means "style." Harmony should not be interpreted as pacifism; it is simply the acknowledgment that yielding is sometimes more effective than brute strength. From one point of view, Wadō-ryū might be considered a style of jūjutsu rather than karate. It should be noted that Hironori Ōtsuka embraced Shotokan and was its chief instructor for a time. When Ōtsuka first registered his school with the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai in 1938, the style was called "Shinshu Wadō-ryū Karate-Jūjutsu," a name that reflects its hybrid character. Ōtsuka was a licensed Shindō Yōshin-ryū practitioner and a student of Yōshin-ryū when he first met the Okinawan karate master Gichin Funakoshi. After having learned from Funakoshi, and after their split, with Okinawan masters such as Kenwa Mabuni and Motobu Chōki, Ōtsuka merged Shindō Yōshin-ryū with Okinawan karate. The result of Ōtsuka's efforts is Wadō-ryū Karate. To the untrained observer, Wadō-ryū might look similar to other styles of karate, such as Shōtōkan. Most of the underlying principles, however, were derived from Shindō Yōshin-ryū an atemi waza focused style of JuJutsu. A block in Wadō may look much like a block in Shōtōkan, but they are executed from different perspectives.

Grandmaster Tomoki Kishi

Sensei Tomoki Kishi, Grandmaster and founder, GI TOKU KAI, Japan, was felicitated by the All India Karate-do Federation (AIKF) during an international conference held here last evening.

At a glittering function, former Indian Olympic Association president B Sivanthi Adityan presented a memento to the 67-year-old Japanese Karate exponent after he enthralled the audience with ''Kata'' demonstration. For hundreds of Black belt masters, it was an unique experience as they got a chance to learn the nuances of latest techniques from the renowned Martial art exponent. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Adityan lauded the efforts of AIKF President ''Karate'' R Thiagarajan for carrying on the legacy left by late karate exponent Sensei R V T Mani. While appreciating Mr Thiagarajan for reviving the sport at the all India level, he also highlighted how consistent work would bring in rewards. AIKF Chief Patron Karti P Chidambaram said karate was not a sport. ''It's a way of life,'' he said and stressed the need to make karate a compulsory subject in schools. The function was preceded by a demonstration of the art of kata and kumite featuring karate exponents from Japan, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.  Earlier, talking to UNI ''Karate'' Thiagarajan said during the conference that would conclude tomorrow, Sensei Tomoki Kishi would provide training on individual Kumute techniques and on Katas. About 100 senior black belt instructors would be benefitted by the training, he said and added that the main aim of this international conference was to create an awareness among the youth on the importance of this sport. ''Karate is a sport being practiced in all villages and it is a source of employment and self defence,'' he added.

Karate Strike Or Attack

A Karate strike is a directed physical attack with either an inanimate object (such as a weapon) or with a part of the human body intended to cause blunt trauma or penetrating trauma upon an opponent. There are many different varieties of strikes. An attack with the hand closed into a fist is called a punch; an attack with the leg or foot is referred to as a kick; and an attack with the head is called a headbutt. There are also other variations employed in martial arts and combat sports. Strikes are the key focus of several sports and arts, including boxing, karate, muay thai, taekwondo and wing chun, some martial arts also use the fingertips, wrists, forearms, shoulders, back and hips to strike an opponent as well as the more conventional fists, palms, elbows, knees and feet that are common in combat sports. Other sports and arts, such as wrestling employ no strikes in focusing on grappling techniques. Hitting is the act of striking with some part of the arm. This is usually the elbow, the hand, the forearm, or the back of the wrist. A strike utilizing the hand with the fingers closed into a fist and striking with the knuckles (as opposed to the hammer fist described below). There are various methods of punches, including but not limited to the straight lead, the backfist, the jab, and the vertical punch.

Karate Vital Point Or Tender Spot

A pressure point "vital point, tender spot" the field of martial arts refers to an area on the human body that may produce significant pain or other effects when manipulated in a specific manner. Techniques of attacks on pressure points are called Hyol Do Bup in Korean martial arts, such as Hapkido, Sin Moo Hapkido, and Han Mu Do, and kyūsho-jutsu in various styles of Japanese martial arts, such as Jujutsu, Aikido, Tenjin Shinyō-ryū, Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu, Kotō-ryū, Gōjū-ryū, Sekiguchi-ryū, Yōshin-ryū, Kuma-ryū, Kōga-ryū, Attsuuten-ryu kempo-jutsu, and Karate.

The concept of pressure points is present in old school (17th century) Japanese martial arts and is claimed to have an even earlier history; in a 1942 article in the Shin Budo magazine, Takuma Hisa Sensei asserted the existence of a tradition attributing the first development of pressure-point attacks to Shinra Saburō Minamoto no Yoshimitsu (1045–1127). Hancock and Higashi (1905) published a book which pointed out a number of vital points in Japanese martial arts. Exaggerated accounts of pressure-point fighting appeared in Chinese Wuxia fiction and became known by the name of Dim Mak, or "Death Touch", in western popular culture in the 1960s. One of the best-known uses of pressure-point fighting is known to Star Trek as the "Vulcan nerve pinch", and is also seen in the animated Avatar: The Last Airbender series, when female antagonist assailant Ty Lee disables Katara's telekinetic "waterbending" skill with "chi-blocking" pressure point attacks. While it is undisputed that there are sensitive points on the human body where even comparatively weak pressure may induce significant pain or serious injury, the association of kyūsho with esotericist notions of qi, acupuncture, or reflexology is controversial.